Soil Conditions for a Butterfly Bush

Soil Drainage

• Plant butterfly bush in any well-drained, moist soil. The shrub does not grow well in poorly drained or wet ground. Established plants are able to tolerate dry soil as well. Test the site for drainage by digging a 16-inch-deep hole and filling it with water. If the soil drainage is rapid, then all the water will drain within an hour. In a well-drained soil, as required for the butterfly bush, it will take a few hours for the water to drain. In a poorly drained ground, the water will remain in the hole up to a day or two.

Protection

• Create a mound of soil a few inches tall around the base of the shrub during late fall as this helps to protect the crown of the plant from possible cold damage. Remove the mound of soil in spring prior to pruning the plant. Avoid planting in a site that is open and exposed sites especially when growing in regions with hard winters.

Amendments

• Feed butterfly bush annually every spring with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer. Apply fertilizer right after pruning the bush in spring. You can also use a balanced organic fertilizer or topdress with well-rotted manure or compost, suggests Barbara Ellis in "Taylor's Guide to Growing North America's Favorite Plants." Apply a thick layer of mulch around plant to help keep the root zone cool and the weeds in control. The mulch also helps to protect roots from potential winter damage.

Soil pH Tolerance

• The butterfly bush is not particular about soil pH. This makes the plant well adapted for growing near concrete walkways and driveways, as the lime that leaches from these areas will not affect plant growth. Keep the butterfly bush planted near concrete well watered to reduce the possible effect of the heat that is reflected from the concrete.